The production team had ordered fewer lunchboxes than usual that day. Ordinarily, the cast and crew were allowed to take as many set meals as they wanted, but now each person was entitled to only one. Only those who desperately needed two and specifically asked for it could get an extra set.
Yan Huan and Yi Ling had gone too late, and could only get one lunchbox each. Yan Huan gave Yi Ling some of the food from hers.
“Aren’t you hungry?” asked Yi Ling as she shoveled food into her mouth. She was starving. She was close to tears from hunger, even though she had barely done anything. She could not imagine what Yan Huan, who had spent the entire morning acting, must be feeling.
“Go on, eat up.” Yan Huan gave her some more food from her lunchbox. She pinched her own waist. “I can’t eat too much, or I won’t fit in my costume.”
She wasn’t lying: that blue cheongsam was too small for the average woman to wear. Yan Huan had been able to wear it because she had a ridiculously small, 60 cm waist. If her waist was any bigger, she was quite sure she would not be able to squeeze into the dress. It was better to eat too little than too much; she did not want the tiny dress bursting apart on her.
“In that case, I’ll help you finish your lunch.”
Yi Ling quickly pulled Yan Huan’s lunchbox towards her. She did not want Yan Huan to have a change of heart, eat the rest of her lunch, and discover that she was too big for her costume later. No way was she going to let a stupid outfit ruin her beautiful Huanhuan.
They finished their lunch and had barely rested for 10 minutes when someone came to get Yan Huan for next scene. The bulk of Yan Huan’s scenes took place near the beginning of the story, after that, it was the first and secondary female leads’ turn to shine. Hong Yao had a few scattered scenes later on, which would be shot all at once to save time. Once all her scenes had been shot, she would be able to sit back and relax.
The cameras rolled.
Several soldiers ran down the stairs, their military boots thumping heavily against the wood. They stood before Jiang Chao and saluted him. “Sir, we didn’t find anything.”
Jiang Chao’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he toyed with the ring around his little finger.
“You searched the whole building?” he asked, his voice incredulous.
“Yes, sir, that is correct. We searched everywhere, but we didn’t find anyone suspicious.”
“Assemble the rest of the men. We’re leaving.” Jiang Chao had turned around and was just about to take his first step towards the door when he heard a burst of feminine laughter from behind him.
Hong Yao had gone from leaning against the table to sitting on it. She had grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and was now eating them one by one. “Leaving so soon, Officer?”
Jiang Chao swung around, his eyes flashing dangerously.
But Hong Yao was not afraid of him. She was not a proper, respectable lady; she was a filthy woman leading a miserable life. She was a prostitute, a whore. Nothing scared her. Her life was a high-wire act, and she was used to it.
All she had was this insignificant life that led nowhere.
She could only hope that her next life would be better. She did not want to prostitute herself again, not if she could help it.
The camera lingered on her as she ate the sunflower seeds in a leisurely manner. This was Hong Yao, the top prostitute whose name was known all along the Qinjiang River. Her body, her expression, her every move—everything about her was sexy. There was even something dangerously alluring about the way the empty sunflower seed shells emerged from between her red lips. Everyone watching felt their heart constrict and their knees go weak at the sight of her.
This was acting on an entirely different level. It wasn’t necessary for the director to give her acting directions: her portrayal of Hong Yao was perfect. This was the interpretation of Hong Yao, and no other actress would ever be able to surpass it.
“Director Jin, where on earth did you find this actress? Her acting is incredible! She shines in every shot. Aren’t you afraid she might steal the show?”
Director Jin merely chuckled in response as he continued watching Yan Huan on the monitor. He was enjoying her performance so much that he didn’t want the camera to stop rolling.